For the last 10 years, Jim Dahl of Brillion has been helping connect kids to one another and to Jesus Christ through Pray Until Something Happens, or P.U.S.H.

The group does a variety of activities from playing games to doing service projects in the community and beyond to Bible studies.

This is a far cry from what he had during his childhood.

“I didn’t have that opportunity to have a youth group,” said Dahl, 43. “I vowed that I would never, ever do that to a youth ever.”

He and his wife were new to the community and got connected to a church and Bible study but there was no youth group.

“Kids wanted to do something outside of Sunday school time,” said Dahl, a father of three.

So he started with taking a few children skiing. They also did daily random acts of kindness.

“They wanted to continue getting together,” Dahl said.

He put together a volleyball activity and more youth joined in. For the first couple years, the group mostly gathered for skiing and volleyball.

In 2004, there was a naming and logo contest for the group and P.U.S.H. was formed. The non-denominational group is open to all youth in surrounding communities in grades 6-12 and is based out of Faith United Methodist Church in Brillion.

Some of the activities are silly and fun. Others have a more direct purpose, like a canned food drive for a food pantry, helping to open and close a youth camp, yard and house maintenance projects and mission trips.

“We’ve done a lot of cool things, a lot of silly things and a lot of meaningful things,” Dahl said. “My goal is to get youth connected to a church, get them connected to Christ, get them connected to God. We provide those opportunities for them to question their faith, grow in their faith and provide a safe environment for them.”

Kids need a positive connection with others and adults, Dahl said.

“There is so much fakeness in this world,” he said. “So much evil in the world that there needs to be a positive outlet, that there are adults who care for them and love them where they are.”

Dahl has had a core group of about 15 participants but attendance can swell to 40-80 kids.

“I will not cancel an event if there is one youth there because we have reached one,” he said.

He is thankful for the leaders and volunteers, including former participants, who serve.

“It’s humbling they want to help out and provide that fun, cool stuff they remember,” Dahl said.

Clarence Harms of Brillion has been impressed with Dahl’s efforts.

“I think the Bible teaches that to reach others, you have to become somewhat like them and take up some of their ways,” said Harms, also a volunteer. “When Jim is with them, he is like a young kid himself. I know that they have incorporated a combination of work, play, and Christian study and contemplation that the youth enjoy.”